Author Topic: Transition from College to the Big City  (Read 3006 times)

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ekylsnav6

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Transition from College to the Big City
« on: Jun 08, 2012, 10:06 am »
Hello,
    I'm about to be a Senior in my B.F.A. Stage Management Program at Ohio University and since I have started Stage Managing I have only Stage Managed for things at the University and Community theater levels. But this summer I have been graced with the opportunity to intern at the Lark Play Development Center in New York City where I am networking my face off and trying to keep myself busy with as much intern work, as well as off-hours work as I can. One colleague of mine from a passed Community Theater gig referenced me to someone in the city who is trying to put up their own show who is in need of a Stage Manager. I guess I am just wondering about if there are certain things that you wished you would have known when doing your first transition from College training to a real life City-Opportunity? It's one of those things where I want to make a great first impression, and I am going to trust that what I have learned will guide me, but I am sure there are little things that will try and trip me up just from lack of experience. Not sure if I'll be dealing with equity rules, the flow of communication, is some paperwork too much? That sort of thing. Any advice for my first time Stage Managing in the city?

Thanks!

SMrose

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Re: Transition from College to the Big City
« Reply #1 on: Jun 08, 2012, 06:39 pm »
One of the things I learned was to learn the venue I was working in.  In college, when something broke down in the theatre (non-tech theatre related stuff), we could call facility maintenance.  This is not always the case in the non-college world.  I remember being in a venue where I SM'd (we were a rental client) and one of the circuit breakers tripped.  The in-house person didn't know where the breaker box was located. I learned that I should have found out who to ask up front and what to ask. The book, Stage Management Forms and Formats by Barbara Dilker has a section called "Theatre Information Questionaire".  You may find this helpful for going into an unfamiliar venue.

Which University of Ohio did you go to?  I just visited U of O in Athens!
« Last Edit: Jun 08, 2012, 06:40 pm by SMrose »